The Traveler and The Servant
by MagicLovesStrength
Summary: Merlin/Gwaine.  Gwaine met Merlin months ago, but never expected to see him again captured in Cenred's dungeon, bound to the floor with chains.  He knows they have to get out, before Cenred can harm them both, or kill them.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Very first Merlin/Gwaine fanfic. Warning this story could get very dark, very fast. If I write it well. I hope you like it.

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><p>There was very little that Gwaine could do about his current situation, not if he valued his life he figured. Cenred's men had an iron hold on his arms, enough that there was a tingling sensation in the tips of each of his fingers from blood loss, and they were dragging him so forcefully, he could do nothing but stumble along between them. The man couldn't figure out what he was there for, he hadn't actually done anything to wrong the king that he could think of. So why was he there? Why had he been dragged out of the tavern by the throat and taken to this castle.<p>

He was thrown down to the floor, glancing up to see a pair of dark boots and the red hem of a dress. His eyes traveled up further to look into the face of his captor. "Lord Cenred? Well this is certainly a surprise," he said wiping is lower lip with the back of his sleeve. "Though I must admit the hospitality of your men is something left to be desired…Now why am I here?" he snapped, his dark eyes glaring at the king.

A loud crack rang out in the throne room as Cenred's hand came down against Gwaine's cheek, the rings on the man's hand cutting his cheek and splitting his lip. "I will not be spoken to like that commoner." Cenred replied smoothly as he bent down beside Gwaine and took the man's chin in his hand. "You're here because you have something that I want, something that only you and a certain servant you might know can provide."

Gwaine's mind spun, his cheek throbbing with pain. A servant…no he couldn't mean… "Merlin…" the name fell off of his lips in a soft whisper, almost as if he was praying that it wasn't true.

"Yes that's the one. Arthur's pretty boy, he does scream so beautifully," Cenred told Gwaine as he stood up and motioned for the guards to take hold of the man again. "Now you'll go visit him while we continue to discuss just how we're going to get what I want…Take him away." Cenred waved his hand and Gwaine once again found himself being dragged from the room.

That word…that one word made his blood run cold and Gwaine had begun to thrash about, trying to break free and go throttle the man who apparently hurt his good friend, his Merlin. It was useless, the guards easily managing to drag him to the dungeon and toss him into the cell. "Sleep tight pretty boy," one of the guards sneered at him as he slammed the door closed.

He rushed the door colliding with it with a loud clang, his arm through the bar trying to grab at him but the guard was out of reach. Gwaine let out a frustrated growl hands gripping at the bars until he heard the sound of something moving in the cell behind him. He turned around and his heart almost nearly stopped.

There on the floor, curled up in the corner with chains on his ankles and wrists, nearly naked was Merlin. Bruises covered his skin, dried blood matting his ebony hair. There was a look of panic in his eyes till the look changed to one of recognition. "G-Gwaine?" the boy asked, his voice so hoarse it had to be painful to talk.

Pain flooded Gwaine's eyes at the sight of his friend, and he was almost instantly on the cell floor beside him. He could see the bruises covered Merlin's pale skin, and he was thinner than before, since the last night he had seen him, the night they left together to go save Arthur's ass from the realm of the Fisher King. On that night, the words they had exchanged, had led to something more, something that he had longed desperately for, but because of his banishment from the kingdom of Camelot, made their love almost impossible.

Merlin…his poor Merlin…Gwaine's fingers gingerly brushed against Merlin's cheek and let the boy crawl into his lap, bury his face in his neck. "You're here…you came…" Merlin whispered into his neck, his fingers gripping at Gwaine's clothes. "My knight…"

The sound of the boy's voice nearly made his heartbreak, the fear and pain. But he wasn't there for Merlin he didn't know why he was there, had no idea at all, other than he had something that Cenred wanted. "I'm here Merlin…" he said softly to the frightened boy in his arms, his fingers soothingly stroking Merlin's back. "Merlin…what is it that they want from you…" he asked softly. If they were both there for the same reason then maybe…

Merlin only shook his head and curled up more in Gwaine's arms. Gwaine simply sighed and nodded, holding him more protectively. "I hate it here Gwaine…"

"Then close your eyes…let me paint you a picture of the past…of the future of what could be…The story of the traveler and the servant." He felt Merlin's nod against his cheek, his hair tickling his skin. Gwaine shifted slightly so he could cradle Merlin in his arms. He nuzzled the top of his head.

"There was once a traveler…banished from the land where the one he loved so dearly resided. The traveler met the servant when he helped to save the life of the servant's prince. During the time he spent with the servant they grew close, they fell in love, but framed for a crime he did not commit, he was banished from the kingdom. He would sneak into the town, found him giving him the sign by dropping his necklace beside his water bucket. His love, a servant in the palace, saw it and led him from the town, to a cabin they had just on the boarder of the kingdom. They would meet from time to time…kiss, fall asleep in each others arms until they had been apart for far too long. This time…it was too much…and they met in the cabin. It had been the first time he had snuck into the city. It was only moments…before they were in the bed, clothes forgotten. They kissed, they touched, they made love to each other for the whole night… It was in that moment that the traveler knew that he had no reason to travel anymore, that his love had given him reason to stay there. A reason to remain in the kingdom that did not want him. A reason to reveal his most sacred secret…"

By that point Merlin had pulled back to look into Gwaine's eyes a small frown on his lips, a look of uncertainty in his eyes. "Gwaine…?" The questioning tone to his voice reflected in his eyes, and Gwaine only smiled.

He took Merlin's face in his hands and held it, brushing their lips together. "Merlin…we will get out of this…and when we do I will march up to Uther…and present him with my seal of nobility…Just so I can stay with you."

"Gwaine…" Merlin said in a hushed voice, what seemed to be tears formed at the corners of his eyes as the younger male leaned forward to kiss Gwaine with his chapped lips. "You are…you're…"

Gwaine silenced him with another soft tender kiss to his lips. His words, his actions, he knew that they made Merlin feel better, brought a hint of a smile to his lips, and even that was enough. "This is the last night you'll spend alone Merlin…I won't let you go…I'll be what you need me to be…" he whispered against his lips.

"My knight…my savior…my strength…" was Merlin's whispered reply to him, before he buried his face in Gwaine's neck again, clinging to him.

The traveler wrapped his arms around the servant, his love, protectively, and didn't relax his grip, not even when he felt him drift off to sleep. His grip would tighten every time the sound of someone approaching caught his attention. There was no way he was going to let them hurt Merlin again…he'd die before he would allow that.

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><p><strong>Please Review. Would be much appreciated.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**WARNING THERE IS A TORTURE SCENE IN THIS AND IMPLIED OTHER THINGS. IF YOU DO NOT LIKE DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER AND TURN BACK NOW.**

Now that I have your attention... I'm sorry this took so long to write it took me a while to be able to write the chapter because of the fact I knew I'd have to do something with Gwaine getting beaten/whipped/torture. But I did it and it's up. I hope it was worth the wait.

Also it's shorter than the first chapter, due to the fact that I had trouble writing this chapter.

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><p>Pain seared through his entire body as the sharp crack of the whip rang through the air, it's feathered end cutting wounds into the man's back. Gwaine hadn't told Cenred what he wanted to hear, and this was his punishment, to be beaten like a disobedient dog. He couldn't crack, he couldn't give in, he had to stay strong for Merlin…<p>

"Won't ask you again," Cenred said as he stalked around him, much like the way Gwaine had seen a predator circle the prey it had managed to run down. "Either you tell me what I want to know, or you get hit again. Am I clear?"

Gwaine glared darkly at him, spitting out a mouthful of blood onto the dungeon floor. He knew that Merlin could hear everything that was gone, there was no way he couldn't with how sounds echoed off of the walls. But his entire body ached, felt like it was on fire and he still had no idea what Cenred was talking about. "Will answer only if I actually have a clue as to what you want to know…" the traveler said, his breaths coming out as heavy pants.

That only seemed to make the vile king Cenred angrier with him and the whip came down again, this time across his shoulder. The pain returned and Gwaine had to bite back the anguished cry that threatened to escape his lips. "I'll make this quite simple for you," Cenred said moving to squat down in front of him, using the handle of the whip to lift up Gwaine's chin. "Who is your father?"

Nothing.

"Answer or I'll give your little friend back over to the guards. I know their anxious to get a hold of him again."

Gwaine shut his eyes, the image of those things…that Cenred considered guards anywhere near his Merlin nearly made the proud man lose his lunch right then and there. There was silence as Gwaine got up the strength to speak. "King Lot of Lothain…I'm his son…Gwaine Lothain…"

"And who do you believe is Merlin's father?" Cenred asked, motioning for the guards to let go of the prisoner.

He fell forward catching himself on his hands, the jarring motion sending another wave of pain over his back. "I do not know…" he answered under his breath. He expected the whip again, but it never came, and he glanced upward at Cenred.

"Take him back to the cell…the other one already answered what I need to know. He's just a frightened little puppy that doesn't want to be kicked again," Cenred snapped at his guards.

Not a moment later Gwaine found himself being dragged back to the dungeons and thrown back into the cell with Merlin. His back and shoulder were burning, blood still seeping from the wounds. His eyes glanced up to see Merlin scrambling towards him, worry in his blue eyes. "'M fine Merlin…" he muttered, finding it almost impossible to even sit up.

Merlin shook his head, letting his hand ghost over Gwaine's back, whispering words under his breath. Gwaine glanced up at him just to see Merlin's eyes go gold, and realization struck him like a ton of bricks. Magic…so that's how Merlin… He said nothing, just rested his head on his arm. "How are you feeling?" Merlin asked in a soft voice, draping the cloth they had for a blanket over Gwaine.

"Like a horse danced on my back…" The reply got a small laugh out of Merlin, and that alone was enough to make Gwaine feel just a tad bit better than he had been when Cenred had been there with him. "And you? I'm more worried about you…"

There was a long pause before Merlin just lay down beside Gwaine, curled up to his side, his hand covering one of Gwaine's. "I feel…confused…and scared, but less so now that you're here Gwaine…" he whispered to him.

Through the pain, Gwaine was able to move his wounded arm enough to wrap it around his companion in a comforting and protective gesture. "We'll get out of here Merlin…I promise you that much." He left out the fact that if they tried to escape Gwaine would force Merlin to leave and stay behind to face the consequences, even if that would mean death.

No response came from Merlin, exhaustion having claimed the boy to sleep once again. Gwaine let him rest, his fingers trailing idly over the black hair that covered Merlin's head. "You're something else Merlin…you're strong…you're brave…you'll get through this my dear Merlin…" Gwaine said softly, quiet enough so that he wouldn't wake him. "I promise you, you will get through this Merlin…"

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><p>Lord Cenred sat on his throne eyes fixed on the fire. So what Morgause had said was correct, Gwaine was the son of the now dead King Lot. It had been a fight he had been glad to win, but when Lot's servant said the Great Dragon would hear of his murder and come to seek revenge it had made little sense. He knew of the dragonlords, knew that they were all now dead. But why would a servant say that a dragon would seek revenge on a king who sat by and let Uther Pendragon slay all the dragonlords…unless his son was one of them. He knew through Morgause that Merlin was Balinor's son. With the dragonlords at his command, there was nothing stopping him from taking Camelot.<p>

He just had to break them first…

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><p><strong>Please leave a review. And if anyone has some ideas of what they would like to see, I'm always open to suggestions, but that does not mean I'll use them.<strong>


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